I don't think sandin or liligren make the team to start this year. Babs wants veterans, he wants the young guys to season in the minors.

If shmaltz has even an average camp I think he makes it base on age and past history with new assistant coach who is responsible for dmen.
- burn

Burn and I agree? Has hell frozen over?

People talk about toughness, but don't know really what it entails.

"We need toughness to win in the playoffs"..... Let's get some shlub who can play.

No. Playoff toughness is about paying the price to get to the scoring areas. Paying the price to win board battles, win battles in front of the net. Fighting doesn't correlate to winning.
- burn

the funny thing is, it's been the same peopel costing us the past 2 years, and everyone ignores it and says we are not tough enough.

2 years in a row, Kadri suspended, Freddy lets in weak goals, and Gardiner -9 in the last 2 game 7s. But "tuffness".

Better that then have a guy that can't play, that is literally a liability each and every time he's on the ice. He can't play on this team. Not even close.hell we got marincrap and holl here thst stand a good chance of seeing ice time and they are better than mcquaid and they're not even that great.

If toughness is a concern (I don't think it is) then maybe harpur see time.

End of the day, if you can't skate and keep up with the rest of the team you don't belong here.
- burn

I get your point, and agree on the whole, but not the bolded specifically.
Overall though, yes, (frank) Mcquaid.

the funny thing is, it's been the same peopel costing us the past 2 years, and everyone ignores it and says we are not tough enough.

2 years in a row, Kadri suspended, Freddy lets in weak goals, and Gardiner -9 in the last 2 game 7s. But "tuffness".
- RogerRoeper

Not 'Toskala' soft, mind you...

I get what you are saying. But we have been missing bite on the back end since the Polak mistake was made.
- Byfuglien Ate Me

We're far better off without the mistake that was polak. He made more defensive mistakes than gardiner for (frank) sakes.

He couldn't come close to keeping up with this team.

Couldn't move the puck to save his life and riddled with problems defensively, but hey he hit and blocked shots.


First and foremost should be about the skill of the player. You don't take poop players cause they do toughness and grit

the funny thing is, it's been the same peopel costing us the past 2 years, and everyone ignores it and says we are not tough enough.

2 years in a row, Kadri suspended, Freddy lets in weak goals, and Gardiner -9 in the last 2 game 7s. But "tuffness".
- RogerRoeper

Terrible special teams....

Better that then have a guy that can't play, that is literally a liability each and every time he's on the ice. He can't play on this team. Not even close.hell we got marincrap and holl here thst stand a good chance of seeing ice time and they are better than mcquaid and they're not even that great.

If toughness is a concern (I don't think it is) then maybe harpur see time.

End of the day, if you can't skate and keep up with the rest of the team you don't belong here.
- burn

The best tactic against thug players and teams will be to have a great power play. Paul McFarland ran one of the best PP with an ok group in Florida. He has much better to work with now. That said adding one guy on the team that will answer when teams try to injure star players will be ok with me - he should at least know how to hockey though.

I had a date last night and now it burns when I pee.
- RogerRoeper

Lol

Terrible special teams....
- burn

that was more last year but at least coaches were changed.

People talk about toughness, but don't know really what it entails.

"We need toughness to win in the playoffs"..... Let's get some shlub who can play.

No. Playoff toughness is about paying the price to get to the scoring areas. Paying the price to win board battles, win battles in front of the net. Fighting doesn't correlate to winning.
- burn

The key is to get your skill guys to play tough. Not necessarily hitting guys but being tough to play against. Not being intimidated. Going to the tough areas to score.

Not being a soft perimeter team. Earning your ice. The Leafs have enough skill that their power play should intimidate their opponents. If they ever get that going look out. Pens beat the Red Wings in 2009 on their power play. Toughness is good to have but it needs to come from the guys who log the most ice. They don't need to stand tall but they do need to stand up.

Not 'Toskala' soft, mind you...
- SofaKingBored

Sofa, please don’t bring up that name. It eventually leads to Bernier and the purses start swinging uncontrollably.

The key is to get your skill guys to play tough. Not necessarily hitting guys but being tough to play against. Not being intimidated. Going to the tough areas to score.

Not being a soft perimeter team. Earning your ice. The Leafs have enough skill that their power play should intimidate their opponents. If they ever get that going look out. Pens beat the Red Wings in 2009 on their power play. Toughness is good to have but it needs to come from the guys who log the most ice. They don't need to stand tall but they do need to stand up.
- gergeswillems

Yes

Sofa, please don’t bring up that name. It eventually leads to Bernier and the purses start swinging uncontrollably.
- Byfuglien Ate Me

You know, you're absolutely right... The Bernier Wives will be swinging their 4 inch clitori'...

Sofa, please don’t bring up that name. It eventually leads to Bernier and the purses start swinging uncontrollably.
- Byfuglien Ate Me

Bernier leads to Mandela.

The best tactic against thug players and teams will be to have a great power play. Paul McFarland ran one of the best PP with an ok group in Florida. He has much better to work with now. That said adding one guy on the team that will answer when teams try to injure star players will be ok with me - he should at least know how to hockey though.
- winsix

Some engagement would help. Avoiding engagement ad hoping for PPs led to the lowest amount of PPs so the strategy did backfire to an extent.

I would like to see some sort of response in the regular season when a guy takes a run at say, Matthews in the corner on a dangerous hit, rather than getting a 2 minute PP. Need to create at least a bit of fear for the opposition in taking runs at the top guys.

We're far better off without the mistake that was polak. He made more defensive mistakes than gardiner for (frank) sakes.

He couldn't come close to keeping up with this team.

Couldn't move the puck to save his life and riddled with problems defensively, but hey he hit and blocked shots.


First and foremost should be about the skill of the player. You don't take poop players cause they do toughness and grit
- burn

Ceci is poop minus the grit, and matches the description above. Why did we take him?

I look at our core and find it weird people still complain so much.

Dubas had an amazing summer.

You know, you're absolutely right... The Bernier Wives will be swinging their 4 inch clitori'...
- SofaKingBored

The old days.

Yes
- burn

Back when the Red Wings were a scoring machine, Holland used to always say the Red Wings power play was their enforcer. It's especially true nowadays. You can bury teams in the playoffs with a great power play. With the guys the Leafs have, there's no reason why they can't do that.

I look at our core and find it weird people still complain so much.

Dubas had an amazing summer.
- RogerRoeper

...bit of talent there

...bit of talent there
- SofaKingBored

Tampa has more talent maybe? That's it

Some engagement would help. Avoiding engagement ad hoping for PPs led to the lowest amount of PPs so the strategy did backfire to an extent.

I would like to see some sort of response in the regular season when a guy takes a run at say, Matthews in the corner on a dangerous hit, rather than getting a 2 minute PP. Need to create at least a bit of fear for the opposition in taking runs at the top guys.
- aminnes

#1 that whole bullpoop about no calling penalties on one team because the other team doesn't get called for pp has to stop. Call penalties when penalties are committed whether it's the 7th consecutive pp for one team or not.

The leafs were one of the lowest pp opportunities last year and that is utterly ridiculous.


#2 had their pp been effective then they would have scored more and led to more wins and more pp goals means other team worried about taking penalties.

I look at our core and find it weird people still complain so much.

Dubas had an amazing summer.
- RogerRoeper

I agree with this. Dubas has done well, but why does that mean no one can point out things they would like to see or questions they have about the roster without it being perceived as Dubas hate?

Have the trolls gotten to us around here?

The old days.
- Byfuglien Ate Me

It's comical seeing the Bernier Wives Club in denial after the divorce...

"I wasn't a Bernier fan!" ... except that you cupped his bawls for 3 years

Tampa has more talent maybe? That's it
- RogerRoeper

It's almost a curse to get lumped in with them... That sweep? My God...